Can opener



Sept. 12, 1950 E. A. WlTTE' ET AL 2,522,420

CAN OPENER Filed Nov. 24, 1947 INVENTORS g EMIL A.WITTE ANTHONY M.HOLT

Patented Sept. 12, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT oFncef-flj CAN OPENER Emil A. Witte, Anthony.M. Holt, and Herman P.

Martin, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application l ovember 24, 1947,.Serial No. 787,688

1 Our invention refers to can opening tools. The-primary object of our invention is to provide alever carrying fixed pouring spout at one end and a key-head ventpiercing point at the opposite end, the same being adjustable for different sized sealed topped cans. The said key-head, after puncturing the can top; is twisted at approximately a one-quarter turn, to lock the tool to said can, whereby it may be utilized as a manipulatih'g handle for pouring the can contents such as milk; syrup or vegetable'fiuids.

With the above and otherobjects in view,-which will-a-p1 ea'r as the description proceeds, the invention-resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, substantially as hereinafter described, and more particularly defined by the appended claim, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the herein disclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claim.

In the accompanying drawings is illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of the present invention constructed according to the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a can and aflixed thereto a can opening lever, the section being indicated by line ll of Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of said lever.

Figure 4 is a detailed, sectional elevation of the lever spout mechanism, the section being indicated by line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a sectional, plan view through the key-head, the section being indicated by line 55 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a similar, sectional view illustratingthe key-head in its locked position.

Figure 7 is a sectional elevation of the keyhead shown in its piercing position, the section being indicated by line 1-1 of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a similar, sectional elevation through the key-head in its locked position relative to a puncture.

Figure 9 is also a sectional elevation of the key- 1 Claim. (Cl. 222-85) head in its locked position with relation to the v puncture.

Referring by characters to the drawings, A indicates the top flange cover of a can and seated v I 2 l downwardly therefrom a gripping tooth 3 which tooth engages the lower face of the can flange.

soldered or otherwise secured to the toothed end of the'lever is aspout 4, the lower endrof which'is beveled to form a piercing point-4", it being understood that said spout is also provided withadr'ainvent 4". r

As shown in Figure '1 of the drawings, the spout is illustrated as having punctured the top A and extends therein. Hence, the vent: will thoroughly drain the contents of the can when it is practically empty. In order to effecta tight joint between spout andcan top, we provide a rubber gasket 5 whichis slipped thereoverr and seated under slight pressure upon the outer face of the can top.

As best illustrated in Figures 2 to 9, inclusive, the lever I, adjacent to its inner end, is formed with a slot 6, which slot is provided with pairs or" oppositely disposed, notched teeth 6 at the ends of said slot and also at an intermediate part of the same. These notch teeth, in effect, develop three loops for the reception of the shank 1 constituting part of a key-head.

The lower end of the shank I terminates with a flat spear-headed point 8, and the upper end of the shank is embedded in and suitably secured to an actuating wing 9, the same being positioned above the lever. The shank also carries a washer I loosely mounted thereon.

It should be understood that the series of toothed notches B in the slot 6 are for the purpose of adjusting the piercing key-head to accommodate different sized cans, it being kept in mind that any suitable number of these piercing positions of the key may be provided.

From the foregoing description, as indicated in dotted lines of Figure 1, when it is desired to open the can, the toothed end 3 is first inserted under the can flange and thereafter, the lever is swung downwardly to firmly seat upon said flange, as indicated in full lines of Figure 1.

In the above described position, the spear-head 8 has punctured the top of the can and after said puncture, as best best indicated in Figure '7 of the drawings, in said position the spear-head is entirely below the can top surface.

In the meantime, the spout which has also punctured the can top is in position for pouring, but prior to pouring the contents from the can, the key-head is rotated approximately onequarter of a turn from the transverse position shown in Figure 2 to a longitudinal position, as indicated in dotted lines Figure 2, whereby the Wing lies longitudinally with reference to the lever. Hence, as will be noted in Figures 6 and '7 of the drawing, the shank 1 of the spear-head is first positioned transversely of the lever and locked in the intermediate notched teeth of the slot. From this described position, as shown in Figure 6, the spear-head Wing is rotated onequarter of a turn in the slot notch, whereby it is freed from the pierced slot, and the spear-head is positioned transversely of the :puncture slot whereby said spear-headfirmly locks the lever to the can to form a rigid handle.

The can and associated lever are now securely locked together and ready for pouring theioan contents through the spout while at the same time, an upper vent which is formed: in the cover by the spear-head will :permit free flow of the fluid.

Thereafter, the rear downwardly portion of the lever is utilized as a handle whereby =the--can may be readily tilted for pouring and conveniently manipulated, bythe handle, which is -pr-actically an integral part of said can.

-':While we have shown for convenience-in'production a peculiarly;notched-,slot intowhich is adjusted'the-locking head, we may insome instances vary-the notches.

In addition to the functions.-of-;the-lever I 'for openingup the can, it should=be -;noted 'thatthe burr-:2, at the .end of said can-may be conveniently employed for strip-ping caps from bottles;or other containers.

We claim:

Ina vent puncturing device 'for .can openers having'a lever terminating at one end with a anyone of the pairs of notched teeth, whereby vents in cans of different dimensions may be formed at their edges, 3, spear-head extended Ifrom the key head shank and an actuating wing extending from the upper end of said shank,

1Whereby-the-spearehead forming an elongated vent opening in a can is twisted to fully expose thevent opening and also to lock the lever handle and can together.

.EMILA.

:HERMAN-P. MARTIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are x of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 675,277 Henry .May 28, 1901 2,061,582 ,L1lthi,, Nov..;24,11936 2,089,907 Lyons Aug- .10, 11937 

